Cold Weather
by 17seconds
Summary: First ever Riyria fanfic. A oneshot featuring Royce and Hadrian. Royce does a small act of kindness.


Cold Nights

First Riyria fanfic!

Disclaimer: Royce, Hadrian, and the Riyria chronicles/revelations belong to Michael J. Sullivan. I'm writing this for fun, not money.

Author's Note: I may have made Royce too kind in this story, but love is blind and I am completely in love with Royce. I couldn't make him completely cold-hearted.

* * *

Hadrian shivered. It was autumn, and although during the day the weather had been pleasantly cool, as soon as the sun had gone down it had become unwelcomely chilly. Normally, this would not be an issue, but with the soldiers following them, Riyria could neither light a fire nor stop to buy heavier clothes and blankets. They had blankets in their packs of course, but those had been left behind in their hasty retreat. They had been traveling for many hours now, and it was well past midnight.

"We'll rest here." Royce informed him suddenly.

Hadrian's opinion was not asked for, but he glanced back in the direction of their failed assignment uncertainly.

"We'll be fine." Royce said, irritation at his partner's doubt clear in his voice. "We're far enough ahead of them to stop for awhile."

Hadrian nodded. He had come to trust the thief's judgement in times such as these. Hadrian would have been able to defeat any of the soldiers in a fair battle, but when it came to avoiding the men who were searching for them, Royce had far more experience.

Hadrian was starving, but they had no food with them. So, he began clearing a spot for himself in the grass, relieving the patch of land of all the pesky stones and twigs that somehow always ended up beneath his back by morning. When he was done, he carefully searched the area for any he may have missed. Seeing none, he laid down, trying to ignore the cold.

He bid Royce a good night, even though by now he knew better than to expect one back. Sure enough, the thief stayed silent as Hadrian settled down to sleep.

* * *

When the familiar sound hit Royce's ears he was already prepared for it. He took the small pebble he had found, and silently crept towards Hadrian's sleeping form. Royce's hearing was better than most, and the sound of his parter's snores would have driven him mad in less than a week if he hadn't discovered this trick. Kneeling beside the man, Royce gently slid the pebble under his back. It surprised him that Hadrian never awoke or even stirred when he did this. Royce had long ago grown accustomed to sleeping lightly, ready to be instantly awake at the smallest sound or movement. After another minute or two, his mission proved successful as the cacophony ceased. Satisfied, he stood to return to the spot he had prepared for sleep. Then he paused.

Hadrian had his arms wrapped tightly around himself and was shivering in his sleep. Royce had not thought much of their lack of a blanket or fire that night. True, the night was a cold one, but Royce had survived much colder ones with much less than he had with him now. Hadrian, he realised, had not. Inside his head, he debated with himself. He did not usually do good deeds. He fended for himself and expected everyone else to do the same. Still, he was used to the cold, so that this cool, breezy weather was only a mild inconvenience for him. Royce sighed. Then he took off his cloak and laid it on top of his partner. Still, Hadrian did not stir.

* * *

The next morning, the rising sun radiated heat, banishing the cold chill of the previous evening. The first thing Hadrian became aware of as he woke, was the uncomfortable feeling of a small pebble nestled under his back. He groaned. He was certain that he had cleared the area he was laying on before he fell asleep last night. How the stone had appeared beneath him during the night, he could not imagine. The second thing he became aware of was the blanket laid on top of him. As his sleep-fogged brain slowly remembered his current situation, he realised that he had not been covered when he fell asleep last night. It was then that he recognised the garment. He looked around for the thief it belonged to.

Royce was nowhere to be seen, which was not unusual. He often awoke before Hadrian, and left to scout ahead.

As Hadrian was thinking this, Royce appeared out of the trees in front of him.

"Let's go." He ordered, never one for pleasantries. "There's a town a few miles ahead. It's large enough that we should be able to stay there for a few days and avoid the soldiers looking for us."

"Thank you." Hadrian said, running his fingers over the cloak. He meant it. Compassion was not a trait often associated with Royce, and Hadrian was truly grateful for this small act of kindness.

He meant to say more until Royce snatch the cloak from his hands.

"I didn't want to have to listen to your complaints over some chilly weather than you were too fragile to deal with." He said coldly. He wrapped the cloak about himself and pulled up the hood.

"Let's go." Royce repeated, and began walking away, evidently intending to leave with or without Hadrian.

Hadrian scowled at his back. Then, he hastily grabbed his weapons, and hurried to catch up to him.

That, Hadrian realised, was the most annoying thing about Royce. Just when he thought that his partner might have a heart after all, Royce went and crushed that hope.


End file.
